Still working through Halloween candy? Give the chocolate a rest and try our recipe for delicious Quinoa Salad! This recipe will not only help you PR on the course but also help you set a new PR in the time it takes you to put a healthy meal on the table.

Recommended by the one and only Brooks chief, here is the recipe for Quinoa Salad with Lime Dressing:

What you’ll need:

2/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1 cup quinoa-rinsed

2 ears corn-kernels cut off-about 2 cups

1 English cucumber-small dice

1 red bell pepper-small dice

1 bunch cilantro-chopped

½ cup hulled pumpkin seeds-toasted

Zest from 1 lime

Salt and pepper

Preparation Instructions:

In a small bowl mix together olive oil, lime juice and zest, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Stir in quinoa and cook till the “tails” just begin to separate, about 7-8 minutes. Strain and rinse in cold water. Toss quinoa with dressing (add a little at a time, you may not need all of it) and add vegetables and pumpkin seeds.

Black Bean and Rice Variation

1 can black beans-rinsed

1 can corn

1 cup cooked brown rice

Add whatever veggies you like (I’d suggest carrots, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers). You can also use sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

Kristen has worked for Brooks since summer 2011 and is an addicted runner. She ran in the Big 10 conference for The Ohio State University where she recently finished her master’s degree in Communication. Kristen is now running half-marathons (with a PR of 1:18:41) and full marathons (2:45:46). Kristen is a 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier.